Mississippi visits a mess in Texas: We don't have a 'magic wand,' says Mack Brown

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2. TEXAS QUARTERBACK: Starter David Ash suffered head and throwing shoulder injuries in the fourth quarter against BYU, and Brown said a decision whether to play him could come as late as Saturday. If Ash can’t play, the start goes to Case McCoy, who can inspire his teammates in the huddle but has a history of turnover problems. McCoy was suspended for last season’s Alamo Bowl and went on a 10-week mission to Peru that took him away from summer workouts. He’s also a senior with a six career starts under his belt.

The defense is in shambles, coach Mack Brown is facing rampant
speculation that his job is on the line and a season that started with the
promise of a rebirth of Longhorns football is teetering on the brink of collapse
just two games into the season.

And here come the No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels (2-0), ranked for the
first time in four years and eager to shove the Longhorns (1-1) off the cliff
Saturday night.

Brown fired defensive coordinator Manny Diaz within hours after
an embarrassing loss at BYU last week and hired Greg Robinson, who was the
Longhorns defensive coordinator in 2004 before failed stints as the head coach
at Syracuse and defensive coordinator at Michigan.

Brown needs Robinson to fix his defense in a hurry. But by
midweek he tried to lower expectations as Robinson had only a few days to
prepare for Mississippi. Brown noted the Longhorns’ Big 12 schedule doesn’t
start until the next game.

“We’re not going to have a magic wand to get everything fixed
Saturday night,” Brown said. “That would be foolish for me to sit here and say
that.”

Brown, who is in his 16th season, got a show of support from
athletic director DeLoss Dodds, who told the Austin American-Statesman on
Wednesday that “Mack is fine … I told Mack, ‘It’s a long season. There’s lots of
time to do good things.“’

Brown responded: “I don’t have knee-jerk bosses, so they get it.”

Mississippi comes to Austin brimming with confidence after a fast
start, but coach Hugh Freeze dismissed the idea that Texas’ week of crisis means
the Longhorns will be an easy knockout.

“I expect them to be very emotional in front of their home crowd
and they’ll raise their game,” Freeze said. “I expect to see them as the best
that they can be.”

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